The Minister for Aged Care, Ken Wyatt AM, has congratulated the winners of this year’s Australian Aged Care Quality Agency Better Practice Awards.

The awards, presented at the Quality Agency’s Better Practice for the Future National Conference dinner held in Sydney this week, recognise innovation and excellence across Australia’s aged care sector.

Three organisations were awarded National Innovation and Excellence in Aged Care Awards, and a further seven commendation awards.

“The three Innovation and Excellence award recipients, in particular, are absolute leaders in the provision of aged care,” Minister Wyatt said.

“They have demonstrated leading edge and innovative practices that represent ‘excellence’ in aged care.”

The National Innovation and Excellence in Aged Care Award recipients were:

City of Boroondara (for creating an age-friendly community)

Fresh Fields Aged Care Pty Ltd (for its “back to country” program)

The Whiddon Group (for embedding relationship-based care)

The Better Practice Commendation Award recipients include:

ECH Incorporated (for ECH LGBTI Connect Service)

Feros Care (for Grow Bold – Independent Fulfilled Lives)

Feros Care (for Trials to Smiles – Sunbeam Legacy)

Resthaven Incorporated (for Restoring Older People’s Lives)

Sacred Heart Community (for My Community My Way)

Montefiore (for Integrated Cognitive and Sensory Program)

Yackandandah Bush Nursing Hospital (for Let’s Grow Older Together)

Minister Wyatt said the Better Practice Awards celebrated the dedication of workers and providers in our world class aged care sector.

“Each in their own way has created an environment that has led to positive health and wellbeing outcomes for older Australians.

Minister Wyatt said a key focus of the conference was on supporting the industry to transition to the new Aged Care Quality Standards.

“These standards, which are expected to come into effect on 1 July 2019, are already available online and will strengthen and streamline the regulation of safe, quality care for senior Australians,” Minister Wyatt said.

The Government is also working towards establishing a new independent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission from 1 January 2019, bringing together the functions of the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency and the Aged Care Complaints Commission. From 1 January 2020, the aged care regulatory functions of the Department of Health will transition to the new Commission.

Establishing a new Commission was a key recommendation of the Review of National Aged Care Quality Regulatory Processes (Carnell-Paterson Review) that examined the failures of care within South Australia’s Oakden Older Persons Mental Health Service.

The Commission will be led by a single statutory office holder (the Commissioner) who will report to the Minister for Aged Care, and will oversee the approval, accreditation, assessment, education, complaints resolution and monitoring compliance of Commonwealth-funded aged care providers.

“Our senior Australians are among our country’s greatest treasures and we need an aged care system that supports and protects them,” Minister Wyatt said.

“The new Commission will help to ensure our senior Australians receive the first-class aged care they deserve.”